Clamping device



Sept. 5, 1961 Filed Aug. 1l, 1958 J. DOUGLASS, JR

CLAMPING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 5.

INVENTOR.

JOHN DOUGLASB, JR.

l BY 78 my ATTQRNEY Sept. 5, 1961 J. DoUGLASs, JR 2,998,954

CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1l, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N V EN TOR. JOHN DOUGLA38,JR.

FIG. 5. ATTORNEY Sept. 5, 1961 J. DoUGLAss, JR

CLAMPING DEVICE .3 SheetS-SheeiI 5 Filed Aug. 11, 1958 INVENTOR. JOHN DOUGLASS, JR

ATT

2,998,954 CLAMPING DEVICE John Douglass, Jr., St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Shampaine Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of.

Missouri Filed Aug. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 754,192 10 Claims. (Cl. 248-229) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in clamping devices.

Ordinarily, a surgical operating table is provided at the side margins of the seat section thereof with a pair of offset crutches which are used to support the legs of a patient during genitourinary and gynecological surgery. The crutches are usually mounted on the upper ends of crutch rods which are in turn, supported at their lower ends in socket-forming clamps mounted at the sides of the table. The clamps or sockets must not only hold the crutch rods rigidly in position but must be capable of being quickly locked and unlocked in order that vertical and angular adjustment of the crutch rods and crutches may be quickly and easily made. Moreover, since there rare many operations which do not require the use of crutches, it is desirable that the crutches, crutch rods, and clamps be capable of being removed from the operating table in order to allow operating room personnel greater access to the patient in the area of the operating table where the crutches are ordinarily mounted.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a clamping device which is particularly useful in mounting a crutch and supporting rod on the side of an operating table.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a clamping device of the type stated which permits locking of the crutch rod in any position of vertical and angular adjustment with respect to the operating table.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a clamping device of the type stated which can be quickly and easily removed from or installed on the operating table as the needs arise.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing (three sheets)- FIG. l is a fragmentary perspective view of an operating table having mounted thereon a clamping device constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 and showing the clamp in the unlocked position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 5 and showing the clamp just prior to removal from the operating table; and FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the clamp 4removed from the mounting bracket. v

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing which illustrates a practical ernbodiment of the present invention, A designates a clamping device comprising a bracket 1 integrally including a ange 2 and an ear 3 which extends at right angles to the ange 2. The ange 2 and ear 3 are each drilled for receiving bolts 4, 5 by which the bracket 1 is mounted at the corner of the seat section 6 of an operating table T. integrally formed on and extending outwardly from the bracket 1 in spaced relation to the ear 3 is a pin 7 which ice projects into and rides in a hole 8 formed at the corner of the leg section 9 of the operating table T. Somewhat centrally thereof the opposite faces of the bracket 1 are provided with shallow lbores 10, 11, and concentric with the bores 10, 11 is a large aperture 12 which is cut away to form diametrally opposed slots 13, 14 and arcuate shoulders 15, 16. The shoulders 15, 16 are provided with holes 17, 18 into which pins 19, 20 are pressed, the latter'each projecting outwardly through thebore 10 and for purposes presently more fully appearing. Y

Removably mounted on the bracket 1 is a clamp C including a release bushing 21 which projectsthrough the aperture 12 and is integrally provided on its inner end with opposed radially outwardly projecting anges 22, 23 which bear against the inwardly presented faces of the shoulders 15, 16. The release bushing 21, is, further-l more, provided with a central bore 24 which terminates in an annular shoulder 25, the latter being counterbored tol provide holes 26, 27 which terminate in stop-forming bottom walls 28, 29. Formed in they bottom walls 28, 29, are holes 30, 31 which are coaxial with and are of somewhat smaller diameter than the holes 26, 27, and coaxially with the central -bore 24 the rear face 32 of the release bushing 21 is formed with an enlarged bore 33.

Removably fitted within the bore 10 is a ratchet collar 34, the outer periphery of which is provided with a knurl 35, and internally thereof the ratchet collar 34 is formed with an annular recess 36 provided with a base Wall 37, the latter having tapped holes 38, 39, which are in alignment with the holes 30, 31. Loosely positioned in the holes 26, 27 and slidably projecting through the holes 30, 31 are retaining screws 40, 41 which are also threadedy into the tapped holes 38, 39. Radially outwardly of thev recess 36 the ratchet collar 34 is provided on its inner face with a pair of spaced holes 42, 43 for slidably receiving the pins 19, 20. The ratchet collar 34 is also loosely tted over a ratchet sleeve 44, and the ratchet collar 34 and ratchet sleeve 44 are each provided with com-` plementary annular ratchet teeth 45, 46. Also formed in the ratchet sleeve 44 are spaced U-shaped slots 47, 48 for receiving a cylindrical crutch rod 49, the upper end of which is suitably provided with a crutch 50. The crutch rod 49 also extends between spaced parallel arms 51, 52 of a clamping stud 53, the latter extending through a central bore 54 in the ratchet sleeve 44. integrally formed on the clamping stud 53 is a tubular shank 55 which extends through a central hole 56 in the ratchet collar 34 and terminates within the bore 24, and, internally thereof, the tubular shank 55 is provided with threads 56 for receiving the threaded shank 57 of an adjusting stud 58, the latter terminating in a diametrally enlarged head 59 The adjusting stud 58 is, furthermore, provided with a tapped eccentric hole 60 for receiving a set screw 61 which is adapted to bear against a conical end wall 62 formed'in the tubular shank 55. Formed in the head 59 is a pair of spaced holes 63, 64, and operatively interposed between head 59 and shoulder 25 is a frusto-conical spring 65. Pressed into the release bushing 21 and projecting into the bore 33 is a pair of radially inwardly projecting pins 66, 67Ywhich extend across the end face of the head 59. The clamping stud 53 and adjusting stud 58 thus conjointly comprise an elongated member With the 1biasing spring 65 interposed therebetween.

Drilled or otherwise formed in the outwardly presented face 68 Vof the ratchet sleeve 44 radially outwardly of the bore 54 is a pair of holes 69, 70 into which are pressed pins '71, 72 which slidably project into holes 73,

, 74 formed 'na cover member 75. Also formed in the cover member 75 is a cavity 76 for receiving the arms 51, 52, and rigidly secured in and extending transversely between the arms 51, 52 is a pin 77 for rockably supporting a lever 78. Within the cavity 76 the lever 78 terminates in spaced parallel ears 79, 80 for rigidly mounting a roller pin 81 upon which a roller S2 is rotatably mounted. The lever 78 also projects outwardly through an opening 83 in the cover member 75 and terminates in a grip-forming portion 84. Secured to the inside face 85 of the member 75 by means of screws 86, 87 is an elongated pressure plate 88 which is also located intermediate the arms 51, 52 and is adapted to bear against the crutch rod 49 upon transmission of locking pressure therethrough by the roller 82. Outwardly of the pressure plate 88 the cover member 75 is cut away in the provision of clearance slots 89, 9i) whereby the slots 47, 48, 89, 90 and pressure plate 88 form a socket for removably mounting the crutch rod 49. Threaded into a forwardly presented face 91 of the cover member 75 is a set screw 92, the outer end of which is adapted to contact a flat surface 93 on the lever so as to hold the face 91 and surface 93 parallel when the lever 78 is in locked position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

'In use, the bracket 1 is initially separated from the clamp C, and the bracket 1 is secured to the seat section 6 by means of the bolts 4, 5. The lever 78 is then lifted to its full height as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, whereupon the ratchet collar 34 is shifted along the tubular shank 55 to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 6. Movement of the ratchet collar 34 will also displace the ratchet sleeve 44 until it abuts the cover member 75 which will also be shifted outwardly along the arms 51, 52V. Thereafter, the clamp C is bodily turned to a posi-V tion wherein the flanges 22, 23 are in alignment with the opposed slots 13, 14, whereupon the clamp C is placed on the bracket 1 allowing the flanges 22, 23 to pass through the opposed slots 13, 14. The clamp C is then bodily rotated 90 so that the flanges 22, 23 bear,

against the arcuate shoulders 15, 16. The pins 19, 20 will then be in alignment with the holes 42, 43 and the ratchet collar 34 is then pushed forwardly until the pins 19, 20 slide into the holes 42, 43, whereupon the lever 78 may be released allowing it to drop downwardly to its lowermost position. When it is desired to mount the crutch rod 49 in the clamp C, the lever 78 may be lifted upwardly to a portion of its full height as shown in FIG. allowing the cover member 75 to slide back along the pins 71, 72, at which time the crutch rod 49 may be inserted within the slots 47, 48. The crutch rod 49 may be shifted to any desired position of elevation and at the same time the lever 78 may be grasped to rotate the crutch rod 49, cover member 75, ratchet sleeve 44, clamping stud 53, and adjusting stud 58 in unison to lock the rod 49 in any position angular adjustment with respect to the operating table T. Since the ratchet collar 34 is locked in position by the pins 19, 20 and the release bushing 21 is secured to the ratchet collar 34 by the retaining studs 40, 41, the ratchet collar 34 and release bushing will remain stationary. Moreover, unless the lever 78 is elevated to its full height, the ratchet collar 44 cannot be shifted a sulicient amount toward the cover member 75 to allow the ratchet collar 34 to withdraw from intertting engagement with the pins 19, 20. When the desired position of the crutch rod is reached, the lever 78 is then pushed downwardly to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, causing the roller 82 to bear against the pressure plate 88 which shifts the cover member 75 along the pins 71, 72 and allows the pressure plate 88 to come into grip-forming engagement with the crutch rod 49. As the axis of the roller 82 moves upwardly of or over center of the pin 77 the pressure plate 88 will bear nrmly against the crutch rod 49 to frictionally clamp the latter in position in opposition to the force exerted by the spring 65. At the same time, the ratchet sleeve 44 is shifted toward the ratchet collar 34 allowing the ratchet teeth 45, 46 to engage and thereby prevent `rotation of the crutch rod 49. When it is desired to change the position of the crutch 50, the handle is lifted upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 5 to release the locking pressure on the crutch rod 49 and also to disengage the nrm interlock between the ratchet teeth 45, 46, whereupon the crutch rod 49 can be elevated and rotated to another position and clamped in the mannerY just described.

When it is desired to remove the clamp C from the bracket 1 the lever 78 is lifted to its uppermost position as shown in FIG. 6 and the crutch rod 49 and crutch 50 are removed from the slots 47, 48. The ratchet sleeve 44 can then be shifted toward the cover member 75 until engagement thereof so as to permit the ratchet` collar 34 to be shifted to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 6 until the pins 19, 2t) are clear of the holes 42, 43. The entire clamp C may then be rotated so as to align the flanges 22, 23 with the opposed slots 13, 14. When this is done the clamp C may be easily withdrawn from the bracket 1 as shown in FIG. 7.

When the clamp C is separated from the bracket 1 the clamping pressure may be readily adjusted for smooth and efficient operation. Initially, the set screw 92 is adjusted so that the face 91 and surface 93 are parallel when the lever is in the locked position. The set screw 61 is shifted within the bore 60 until its outer end is substantially ush with the end of the adjusting stud 58. With the lever 7S in locked position and the crutch rod 49 placed within the slots 47, 4S, a suitable adjusting tool (not shown) is then tted into the holes 63, 64 so as to advance the adjusting stud 58 into the threaded bore 56' until the crutch rod 49 is lightly clamped. The lever 78 is then lifted to the unlocked position whereupon the adjusting stud 58 is further advanced a small amount into the threaded bore 56. The lever 78 is then shifted back to the locked position. lf the clamping pressure is too loose, the lever 78 is lifted and the adjusting stud 58 is further tightened, While if the locking pressure is too tight, the adjusting stud 58 is backed olf until, by trial and error, the optimum locking pressure is obtained. The set screw 61 is then advanced through the hole 60 until its inner end bears against the conical Wall 62 so as to lock the adjusting stud 58 in position. After adjustment of the clamping pressure, the clamp C may be mounted on the bracket 1 in the manner previously described. i

While the clamping device A is particularly useful in supporting a crutch rod 49, it should be understood that the clampingdevice of the present invention may nd other applications wherein it is desired to locka rod in a variety of positions of vertical and angular adjust+ ments with respect to a supporting surface.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the clamping device may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A clamping device comprising a bracket, mounting means secured to said bracket, an elongated member rotatably mounted in said mounting means, resilient means operatively interposed between the elongated member and the mounting means, socket-forming means mounted on said elongated member and being adapted to receive a rod-like member, said socket-forming means being shiftable along said elongated member axially thereof,r and releasable locking means operatively connected to said elongated member for shifting said elon` gated member axially in opposition to the force of said resilient means and at the same time shift said socketforming means along said elongated member toward said bracket, means interposed between the locking means and the socket-forming means for bearing against the :cd1

like member whereby to clamp vthe rod-like member'I against the elongated member and at the same time shiftv the socket-forming means into non-rotatable engagement with the mounting means.

2. A clamping device comprising a bracket, mounting means operatively positioned on said bracket, cooperating means on said mounting means and bracket for remov-l ably securing the mounting means rigidly tov said bracket,

van elongated member rotatably mounted in said mount-- ing means and projecting axially outwardly therefrom, said elongated member being provided in its outwardly projecting portion with a diametral opening extending transversely therethrough, resilient means operatively interposed between the elongated member and the mounting means, socket-forming means mounted on said elongated member and having apertures disposed on opposite ends of and aligned with lthe opening in the elongated member, said opening and said apertures being adapted to receive a rod-like member, said socket-forming means being shiftable along said elongated member axially thereof, and releasable locking means operatively connected to said elongated member for shifting said elongated member axially in opposition to the force of said resilient means and at the same time shift said socketforming means along said elongated member toward said bracket, thereby simultaneously clamping the rod-like member firmly and urging the socket-forming means into non-rotatable engagement with the mounting means.

3. A clamping device comprising a bracket provided with a central aperture, a plurality of pins projecting outwardly from said bracket, a bushing mounted in said central aperture, a collar encircling said elongated member and being adapted to removably receive said pins, said bushings and collar being operatively connected so that when the pins are out of engagement with the collar said bushing and collar are capable of rotation in unison, an elongated member rotatably mounted in said bushing, resilient means interposed between the elongated member and the bushing, socket-forming means mounted on the elongated member and being adapted to receive a rodlike member, said socket-forming means being shiftable along said elongated member axially thereof, and releasable locking means operatively connected to said elongated member for` shifting said elongated member in opposition to the force of said resilient means, and at the same time shift said socket-forming means along said elongated member toward said bracket, thereby clamping the rod-like member rmly within the socket and urging the socket-forming means into non-rotatable engagement with the collar.

4. A clamping device comprising a bracket provided with a central aperture, a pair of arcuate shoulders contiguous with said aperture, a release bushing mounted in said central aperture and being provided with opposed flanges for contacting said arcuate shoulders, a clamping stud rotatably mounted in said release bushing, an adjusting element threaded into said clamping stud, a spring interposed between said adjusting element and said release bushing, a collar mounted on said clamping stud, means for maintaining said collar non-rotatable with respect to said bracket, retaining means rigidly mounted in said collar and being slidable in said release bushing, socketforming means mounted on said clamping stud and being adapted to receive a rod-like member, said socket-forming means being rotatable with said clamping stud and shiftable axially therealong, and releasable locking means rockably mounted on said clamping stud for shifting said clamping stud axially in opposition to the force of said spring and at the same time shift said socket-forming means along said clamping stud towards said bracket, thereby clamping the rod-like member firmly within the socket and urging the socket-forming means into nonrotatable grip-forming engagement with the collar.

5. A clamping device comprising a bracket provided with a central aperture, a pair of pins projecting outwardly lfrom said'b'racket, a release bushing mounted iiisaid central aperture, a clamping stud rotatably mountedin said release bushing, adjusting means shiftably mounted' in said clamping stud at one end thereof, a spring inter-1 posed between said adjusting means and said release bushing, a collarV mounted on said clamping stud and beingprovided with a pair of holes adapted to removably receive said pins, retaining means rigidly mounted in saidr collar and being slidable in said release bushing, socketforming means mounted on said clamping stud and being adapted to receive a rod-like member, said socket-forming means being rotatable with said clamping stud and shiftable axially therealong, and releasable locking means rockably mounted on said clampingv stud for shifting saidl clamping stud axially in opposition to the force of said spring and at the same time shift said socket-forming means along said clamping stud towards said bracket,

thereby clamping the rod-like member firmly within the socket and urging the socket-forming means into nonrotatable gripforming engagement with the collar.

6. A clamping device comprising a bracket provided with a central aperture, a pair of pins projecting outwardly from said bracket, a release bushing mounted in said central aperture, a clamping stud rotatably mounted in' rigidly mounted in said collar and being slidable in said release bushing, a sleeve slidably mounted on saidl clamping stud and being provided with teeth matching the teeth on said collar, said sleeve also being provided with a pairvof slots adapted to receive a rod-like member, a cover member slidably mounted on said clamping stud and being rotatable with said sleeve, pressure plate means mounted in said cover member and being presented towardsaid pair of slots, and a lever rockably mounted on said clamping stud and being provided with a rotatable element adapted to contact said pressure plate element so that when the lever is shifted to locked position, the rod-like member will be lirmly clamped by the sleeve and pressure plate means.

7. A clamping device ycomprising a bracket, a release bushing mounted in said bracket, a clamping stud rotat-v ably mounted in said release bushing, an adjusting element threaded into said clamping stud, a resilient element interposed between said adjusting element and release bushing, a ratchet collar mounted on said clamping stud and being provided with 'annular teeth projecting away from said bracket, a ratchet sleeve slidably mounted on the clamping stud adjacent said ratchet collar and being provided with annular teeth matching the teeth on said ratchet collar, said ratchet sleeve also being provided with a pair of slots adapted to receive a rod-like member, pin means projecting outwardly from said ratchet sleeve, a cover member slidably mounted on said clamping stud and adapted to slidably receive said pin means, a pressure plate mounted in said cover member, and a lever rockably mounted on said clamping stud and having a roller adapted to contact said pressure plate so that when the lever is shifted to locked position, the rod-like member will be rmly clamped by the ratchet sleeve and pressure plate and at the same time the teeth on said ratchet sleeve will be urged into locking engagement with the teeth on the ratchet collar.

8. A clamping device comprising a bracket provided with a central aperture, a pair of arcuate shoulders contiguous with said aperture, a release bushing mounted in said central aperture and being provided with opposed anges for contacting arcuate shoulders, a clamping stud rotatably mounted in said release bushing, an adjusting stud threaded into said clamping stud, a spring interrathet rollar, said ratchet collar also being providedwith annular teeth projecting outwardly therefrom, retaining means rigidly mounted in said ratchet collar and slidably mounted in said release bushing whereby said release bushing is rotatable with the ratchet collar when the latter is shifted axially along said clamping vstud and released from said pin means, a ratchet sleeve slidably mounted on the clamping stud and being provided with teeth matching the teeth on said ratchet collar, said ratchet sleeve also being provided with slots adapted to receive a rod-likeV member, a pair of pins projecting outwardly from said ratchet sleeve, a cover -memberslidably mounted on said clamping stud and adapted to slidably receive said pair of pins, a pressure plate mounted on said cover member, and a lever rockably mounted on said clamping stud and having a rolle; adapted to `contact said pressure plate so that when the lever is shifted to locked position, the rod-like member will be rrnly clamped by the ratchet sleeve and pressure plate and at the same time the teeth on said ratchet sleeve will be urged into locking engagement vwith the teeth on the ratchet collar.

9. A clamping device comprising a lbracket provided with a central aperture including a pair of opposed slots, a clamp including a release bushing mounted in said central aperture and being provided withopposed anges normally contacting said bracket in spaced relation to said opposed slots, an elongated member Y rotatably- -mounted in said release bushing, resilient; means operatively interposed between said elongated memberand release bushing, a collar mounted on said elongated mem ber, cooperating means on said bracket and collar for normally holding said collar xed withrespect to said bracket, means for preventing rotation of the bushing relative to said collar, socketfforming means rnounted on said elongated member and Vbeing shiftable axially therealong, a rod mounted in said socket-forming means, and releasable locking means mounted on said elongated member for shifting said socket-forming means axially along said elongated member whereby to effect simultaneous clamping engagement between the socket-forming means and the rod and the socket-forming means and the collar, said locking means also being shiftable to an unlocked position wherein the collar can be shifted along said elongated 'element to ,a position in which said collarand bushing can be rotated to align said opposed flanges with said slots to permit withdrawal of the clamp from said bracket.

10. A clamping device comprising a bracket provided with a central aperture including a pair of opposed slots, a pair of arcuate shoulders adjacent said opposing slots, a pair of pins projecting outwardly from said bracket, a release bushing mounted in said central aperture and beingvprovided with opposed flanges for contacting said arcuate shoulders, said release bushing also being provided with an annular shoulder having a pair of holes therein, a clamping stud rotatably mounted in said release bushing and being provided with a pair of spaced arms, an adjusting stud threaded into one end of said clamping stud, a spring interposed between said adjusting stud and said annular shoulder, a ratchet collar mounted on said clamping stud and being 'provided with a pair of holes adapted to removably receive said pins, said ratchet collar also being provided with annular teeth projecting outwardly therefrom, a pair of retaining screws threaded into the said ratchet collar and being slidable in said pair of holes in the release bushing; a ratchet sleeve slidably mounted on said clamping stud and being provided with annular teeth matching thev teeth on said ratchet collar, said ratchet sleeve also having a pair of slots in alignment with the space between said spaced arms and adapted to receive a rod-like member, a pair of pins projecting outwardly from said ratchet sleeve, a cover member slidably mounted on said pairof arms adjacent said ratchet sleeve and adapted to slidably receive said last mentioned pair of pins, a pressure plate mounted on said cover member intermediate said pair of arms, and a lever rockably mounted on said pair of arms and having a roller adapted to contact said pressure plate.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,572,215 May Feb. 9, 1926 1,661,188 Matthews Mar. 6, 1928 2,366,972 Lawrence Jan. 9, 1945 2,614,558 Lovell Oct. 2l, 1952 2,622,831 Fullwood Dec. 23, 1952 2,801,142 Adams July 30, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 745,711 Great Britain Feb. 29, 1956 

